Fanueil Hall bar offers a change of scenery

I was nominated to write bar reviews for two reasons: 1) I'm 21 and 2) I've been called a lush so many times in my life that I might as well make a career out of it-or at least a column in the Daily.

Let's begin with Saturday's adventure to Bell and Hand Tavern, a Boston landmark and America's oldest continuously operating tavern since 1795. My gal pals and I arrived at Fanueil Hall to be greeted by Bell and Hand's very long line. I highly recommend getting some people over there early to save you a spot, and pre-gaming beforehand. While the annoying 40-minute wait pissed some of us off, it gave others a chance to smoke a last cigarette and meet some nice Irish lads who were leaving for their homeland the next day.

We entered and paid the $5 Saturday cover (there was a band and free coat check) and instantly noticed that we stood out. Now lately, my friends and I have been feeling old. Seniors, perhaps you too have been feeling the same way, but for what reason? Just because you're turning 22 and most cute people at on-campus parties turn out to be younger than your sister?

Well, get ready for the post-college bubble. Because as far as bars are concerned, you're just getting started. We were the youngest group of people in Bell and Hand. And not only were we the youngest, but we were all girls. The guy to girl ratio was in our favor (that is, if we actually wanted to meet prematurely balding computer analysts).

There are several pro and cons to being the youngest group of girls at a bar. As far as cons go, there are some sketchy old dudes out there. For instance, the gray-haired man who leered at my friend and said, "I would do anything to buy you a drink." Eww. As for pros, you will never have to pay for a drink. I racked up three free rounds, the average amount in my group of friends.

(Note: this isn't to say all the guys there could've been friends with your parents. My friends can attest that there were some polite and attractive mid-20 year olds, as well as some cute Irishmen. And for the men, there were for sure a few blonde MILFs running around, but older people in general aren't really my scene.)

The bar itself is quite large. The first floor has a bar, places to sit by tall windows, and a small stage where a band crooned to some tipsy dancers. The bass from the DJ upstairs beckoned us to the second floor, where there are two bars and a crowded dance floor. The music at Bell and Hand is inconsistent, reflecting the age span of the dancers-from 80s music that none of us had heard of to current hip hop and R & B.

A proactive stance is best to improve a bad music situation, so I became friends with the DJ. Under the hazy bar lights and on the hot (literally, it was burning up in there!) dance floor, we made the most of our night.

The drinks were more expensive than here in Somerville, but cheap for a Boston bar-- around $5.25 for mixed drinks and more for imported beer. (Note: the four Long Island Iced Teas we ordered each varied in strength, but all could be considered potent.) Unlike Davis, however, getting home from Fanueil was a disaster. The free shuttle doesn't go to Fanueil and getting a cab at 2a.m., with traffic spilling out from all the other Fanuiel bars, is a mess.

In all honesty, I didn't think Bell and Hand was much better than a good night at the Burren. Although a trip to the Burren would require paying for most of your drinks yourself, at least you'll run into more people your age. Or maybe Bell and Hand is the kind of bar I'll enjoy in a couple of years... if I ever become bald... or a computer analyst.

The prices weren't bad, and the free coat check was a major plus, but in the end the night was a success because of the bar, but because of the company. (Also, pleading with the DJ to play more current music helped.) We ventured out of the Davis-scene, danced like hot young thangs, and some of us even left with phone numbers. And with the last song, R.Kelly's "Ignition," being dedicated to the "Tufts Girls," the night proved the old saying is true: "It's not where you are, but who you're with that really matters."